Write One Page Per Day – 127/365 – May 7, 2018

“Let’s get moving,” Mario said motioning for the three of them to start walking, “If they are still looking for Jeff, it’ll be bad for us to be out in the open like this.”

Jeff felt the anxiety of being so close to the theater in the pit of his stomach like a stone he had swallowed. It sat there, hard and heavy, threatening to take him down. Only the thought of Cindy, trapped in the statue on the table back at the fort let him push through it.

Mario went first, with Jeff following and Maria taking up the rear.

“I don’t even know what they look like,” Jeff said, barely above a whisper into Mario’s ear, “How do I know if someone is a cultist?”

“They’ll make themselves known to us if they want you that badly.” Mario replied over his shoulder.

As they reached the main street the clock over city hall rang twice. The city was loud and alive as people from all walks of life made their way down the sidewalks. Jeff felt as though he was being watched, and knew that Mario felt it too when he noticed the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

“Stop.” Mario said, pushing Jeff and Maria back toward the building. “They know we are here.”

“How do you know?” Maria asked, “I’m not getting-”

Maria stopped, her eyes as wide as saucers. She looked as though she had suddenly lost the ability to speak as her eyes clouded over, making her pupils disappear.

All at once, Jeff saw the other two pairs from their team running toward them. One was carrying something, while the other was being pursued by at least ten people. The people on the street saw them too, and moved to get out of the way, screaming with panicked expressions.

“Mario, get in the car!” Adrian screamed as he ran across the road, narrowly avoiding a car. Lucas was right behind him, jumping over the cars, looking pale and afraid.

Jeff watched as Joan and Hal turned up Congress Street at a sprint. Most of the group following them turned as well, but one of them looked across where Adrian and Lucas were going, spotted Jeff, and headed straight for him.